Stories from Friday, January 5, 2018

Amy Lynn Finney Wells, 70, of Shelbyville died Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018 at Carriage House-The Heart Remembers after an extended illness. Funeral services 2 p.m. Sunday at First United Methodist Church, Rev. Lanita Moore officiating. Burial in Willow Mount Cemetery. Visitation 4-7 p.m. Saturday. Arrangements: Doak-Howell Funeral Home.

Samuel Herman Pugh, 85, of Haskins Chapel died Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018 at his home. Funeral services 2 p.m. Sunday at Doak-Howell Funeral Home, Blen Hinton and Kevin Jones officiating. Visitation begins at 11 a.m.

Kayla Brewer, a dual enrollment student at Motlow State Community College’s Smyrna campus, recently won a college-wide contest where students were asked to share on social media how they might use the college’s quality enhancement plan, QUEST, through the course of an average day. Brewer, shown above with the winning prize check for $250, used an example of how the QUEST process could be used to deal with incurring a flat tire. QUEST stands for: Question the facts; Use new information; Evaluate potential solutions; Solve the problem; and Test the solution. The program aids in teaching critical thinking skills to students. (Motlow College photo)

The City of Shelbyville held a retirement celebration Wednesday for Dwight Powell, who worked for Public Works for 38 years. Pictured (from left) are: City Manager Shanna Boyette; Powell; Mayor Wallace Cartwright; and Public Works Director Eric Pierce. “Dwight was a very dedicated employee of Shelbyville Public Works ... and his work ethic will be missed by all of his fellow co-workers as well as the citizens in the City of Shelbyville,” Pierce said. (Submitted photo)

The tree decorated by the Fleece on the Duck Fiber Guild won “Best of Show” for the 2017 Festival of Trees at the Fly Arts Center. (Submitted photo)

Jan. 13 is the deadline to register for The Webb School's Visitors' Day for prospective students and families, which is Jan. 15. Registration and breakfast are at 9 a.m., and the event ends at 3 p.m. The schedule includes the daily chapel program and also a tour of the 150-acre campus, led by a current Webb student. ...

On Jan. 1, Tennessee employers began paying less in unemployment insurance premiums when the taxable wage base decreased from $8,000 to $7,000, the Department of Labor and Workforce Development reported. The taxable wage base is the annual amount of wages paid to an employee, which is subject to state unemployment tax...

Lt. Gen. Keith Huber's almost 40 years in the U.S. Army, including distinction as the longest-serving Green Beret when he retired in 2013, involved some life-threatening scenarios that he still can't discuss. But, as Middle Tennessee State University's senior adviser for veterans and leadership initiatives prepared for the new year, he recalled what could have been a fatal heart attack last fall -- and how he approaches life with renewed vigor...

People working in the remains of a burned home on Deery Street are suspected of stealing more than $1,000 worth of amateur radio gear and a GoPro video camera, Shelbyville police were told Wednesday. Employees of cleaning, moving and textile companies have been in the home, which burned Nov. 25, its owner said Wednesday. A Sony Blu-ray player was initially noticed missing. The radio equipment includes antennas, a transmitter that can only be legally operated by a licensed "ham" and a tuner...

A few parts remain to be cast in the Fly Community Theatre’s upcoming production of “Arsenic And Old Lace,” and so an additional tryout has been scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday at the Fly Arts Center on South Main Street. Here, from left, Alex Torrejon, Thacher Cleveland and Dianne Clanton perform during tryouts on Wednesday. Those auditioning should bring a headshot and writing utensil and should prepare two monologues, one comedic, one dramatic. Memorization is preferred but not required. The comedy will be presented March 9-10 and 16-18 at the Fly, and so cast members must be available those days. (T-G Photo by John I. Carney)

Shelbyville City Manager Shanna Boyette is marking her first calendar year on the job by compiling the city's annual list of goals for each department. Some goals are for 2018, while others are longer term objectives or wishes and may not have a specific date. A few of those goals are listed here, while others will be covered in upcoming stories. ...